"Stories from India, Australia and Thailand "
by NUS student volunteers

Thursday, 12th August 2004: 7.00pm – 8.00pm
DBS Conference Room
Blk S3, Level 5 , Department of Biological Sciences
The National University of Singapore
Science Drive 4

Visitors may park at Carpark 10
See map

Chairperson: Angeline Tay

About the talks
-----------------------
[1] Establishing a Biodiversity Park in Bangalore, India
Studies done on exotic plants transplanted from Western Ghats to a 180 ha land in Bangalore, India. Diverse uses of the plants were explored, especially for their medicinal properties. Information on fauna was documented as well. Cultural exchanges with Indian students and professors will be shared.

[2] The 'alaok' experience on St Bee's Island, Queensland, Australia - An EarthWatch Expedition on koala ecology
Australia‚s eucalypt woodlands and forests are being altered by current land use practices. Koala habitat is being fragmented and koala populations are out of balance with the new habitat isolates in some areas. However, the koala population at St. Bees Island appear to be in balance with their island habitat. The island thus provides a living laboratory to understand what keeps an isolated population in balance and may provide answers to managing overpopulated habitats elsewhere in Australia. In this Koala ecology study trip, a team of ten youths active in environmental work joins two Australian Earthwatch scientists in their mission to understand
more about the behaviour and the population structure of the koalas.

[3] Field studies of ethnic minorities in Chiangrai, Northern Thailand
The study of Indigenous knowledge (IK) and promotion of local participation in government policy making is playing an increasingly recognised role in resource management and conservation. It ensures that cultural and natural heritage would not be lost by creating a
balance between tradition and development. This field studies was conducted by the NUS Department of Geography in Chiang Rai, Northern Thailand where there is a high concentration of ethnic minorities. They have been increasingly displaced in recent years due to the creation of nature reserves and forest parks.

About the speakers
---------------------------
[1] Meisi is a graduate from the Life Science course in NUS. She participates actively in volunteer programmes and outdoor activities and has a keen interest in conservation-related fields.

[2] Wong Yueat Tin is a NUS Honours year student majoring in Life Sciences. She is also an active volunteer with the Raffles Museum of Biological Research (RMBR). Her RMBR volunteer experiences include the annual International Coastal Cleanup Singapore (ICCS) and Chek Jawa guiding. In addition, she was recognized for her efforts and strong commitment towards environmental and nature conservation in Singapore and was awarded the HSBC-NYAA Youth Environmental Award(Merit) in year 2003.

[3] November Tan is a 2nd year Geography Major from the Faculty of Arts and Social Science in NUS. Her main interest is in environmental human-nature Geography and she hopes to pursue further studies in Environmental Science and Management in the future. She is also an active member of the RMBR volunteers with special interest in Changi and Pulau Ubin heritage conservation.

ALL ARE WELCOME!  

Back to Meetings Announcements